Lecture No. 0327

Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0327

Lamrim Volume 1:  P45

Date: 05 Apr 2022

Topic: Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, the Three Extremely Special Features (Four Interwoven Annotations)

Today, we will study “the greatness of the teaching” from the Chinese text, Introduction to the Four Interwoven Annotations. Everyone please turn to page 160. Let’s read from the first paragraph:

II. Showing the greatness of the teaching in order to engender respect for the instructions; there are three parts:
1. Identifying the root text of the teaching: Concerning the teaching to be explained, the root of these instructions is the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
2. The teaching to be expounded has three distinctive qualities: it is comprehensive, easy to put into practice, and a superior system
There are many texts composed by the Elder, but the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment is comprehensive and fundamental. Since it teaches by drawing together the key points for both the sutra and mantra vehicles, its subject matter is comprehensive; since it emphasizes the stages of disciplining the mind, it is easy to put into practice; and since it is adorned with the instructions of two gurus who were skilled in the systems of the two great trailblazers, it is superior to other systems. The two gurus are referring to Ser-ling-ba from the school of the adept Asanga, and Vidyakokila* the younger from the school of eminent Nagarjuna. As described in the Prayer to Masters of the Lineage of the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment [19 verses composed by Tsong-kha-pa], these two gurus had giving teachings to Jowo Atisha directly. Although some said that the two gurus were Avadhutipa and Ser-ling-ba, the virtuous teacher of Master Nga-wang Rab-te [Venerable Yu’s annotation is in green print] indicated that two other eminent teachers of this lineage agreed with the former source.
[01′16″]
We all know, while studying any part of a given treatise, if an outstanding scholar creates an outline for it, then this outline would thread through (the entire section) just like a string, so we would easily have a thorough understanding of that section. Hence, Master Jam-yang Shay-pa outlined these three parts (to help our learning). The first one is “Identifying the root text of the teaching.” “Teaching” can have multiple meanings, here “teaching” means “the root of these instructions is the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment” – (Master Atisha’s the) Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. Thus, what does the word “teaching” in “Showing the greatness of the teaching in order to engender respect for the instructions” refer to? It refers to the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. This first point is to identify the root text of the teaching. So which one should be identified? Generate a respectful attitude to which teaching? Thus, the word “teaching” in “Showing the greatness of the teaching” refers to the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. [02′58″]
Next is the 2nd part; take heed! It is further subdivided into three distinctive qualities: “II. The teaching to be expounded has three distinctive qualities: it is comprehensive, easy to put into practice, and a superior system”; these three are categorised under the same outline. It says in the text, “There are many texts composed by the Elder, but the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment is comprehensive and fundamental”, Master Atisha composed many texts, covering various Dharma categories, totalling a hundred types, and they were compiled under the title “Essays of Master Atisha” – this “essay” can be understood as the “version” in the Medium Extensive Version of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra [25,000 verses], or the Most Extensive Version of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra [100,000 verses]. Amongst the one hundred compositions of Master Atisha, the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment is considered the most prominent one. [03′44″]

Why is the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment deemed as the most prominent one? These words appeared, “it teaches by drawing together...” this treatise incorporates all teachings without any omission, what does it include? The text says, “Since it teaches by drawing together the key points for both the sutra and mantra vehicles, its subject matter is comprehensive.” The scope of this treatise is all encompassing, correct? Without leaving out any part, and all the key points of the sutra and mantra are incorporated, it is therefore comprehensive. [04′14″]

The second subdivision is “easy to put into practice.” As for easy to put into practice, Rinpoche said it mainly refers to the expedient means of “disciplining the mind”. It employs the “stages” for the three types of persons to tame the mind. It starts from the small capacity, followed by the middle capacity and then gradually guided to the unshared path of the great capacity, very easy to put into practice. (Rinpoche) said that all treatises are comprehensive in terms of their content. However, when it comes to the actual application, it is very difficult to find any that are easier to put into practice than the Lamrim. Let me reiterate it: every treatise is complete in terms of its content, but when it comes to application, it is very difficult to find any that are easier to put into practice than the Lamrim. [04′58″]

Let’s take a short pause here to reflect: what does this statement mean when it says, “it is very difficult to find any treatise that is easier to put into practice than the Lamrim”? It means that it is easy for practitioners to follow along and put it into practice. So, what makes it so easy? That is because there are stages to disciplining the mind, it progresses from small, middle and great capacity systematically. There are sequential stages to follow. This teaching would never guide practitioners to jump-start from the practice of Bodhichitta, nor would it start from the teaching on wisdom of emptiness, nor the generation of the complete stages. It starts from the initial step, the very first step . [05′28″]

Take the content of the Ornament for Clear Knowledge for example; is it comprehensive in terms of its content? [Yes! Definitely!] However, despite being comprehensive, for beginners to learn it, for middle capacity to learn it, then to progress forward, its sequential order is not as clear-cut as the Lamrim. For example,  the topic, “how to listen to and explain the teachings”, is not in the Ornament for Clear Knowledge? Did it give us the preparatory topics in front?  The stages of the path is not as explicit as in the Lamrim. The Lamrim distinctively spells out the stages, very clearly, so it is “easy to put into practice”. [06′01″]

Now, I would like to ask you all a question: why did the Lamrim became easy (for practitioners) to put into practice? The phrase “put into practice” refers to   putting it into action, right? Why is it so easy for us to discipline our mind? It is because of the systematic arrangement in the Lamrim, correct? All the steps are distinctively listed in the text. I am wondering while listening to the teaching in the class do you have this habit? Some classmates have the habit of taking notes. If their notes are written very clearly, then the outline of that class, or even the train of thought, the  teacher’s line of reasoning would become very lucid and crystal clear to this student. [06′30″]

All Buddhas of the three times [past, present and future] have imparted the three principal aspects of the path to us. However, from the Array of Stalks Sutra, the Surangama Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, or even in the Nirvana Sutra, and the many, many other sutras, how do we decipher the three principal aspects of the path while reading them? And what about the sequence? Had Lama Tsong-kha-pa not distinctively illustrated Buddha’s intent, it would be very difficult for us to grasp the gist of what Buddha had taught. Hence, the reason why it is easy (for practitioners to put into practice) lies in the “systematic order of disciplining the mind”. [06′59″]

Eng

【全球广论 II 讲次: 0327】

讲次 | 0327 (2021-05-17 ~ 2021-05-19)

标题 | 《道炬论》极为殊胜的三种特色(四家注)

《广论》段落 | P8-L7 ~ P8-L8 显示法殊胜中……易于受持。

入门段落 | P160-L1 ~ P161-LL8 第二、显示法殊胜中……所以“易于受持”。

(更新日期: 2022年4月5日)

00:00

今天我们学习《四家合注入门》的“显示法殊胜”,请大家把书打开到 160 页,看第一段:

第二、显示法殊胜中, 分三:辨识法者:法者,此教授基论,谓《菩提道炬》。 第二、宣说具有圆满、易于受持、派轨殊胜三法:依怙所造虽有多论,然如根本极圆满者,厥为《道炬》。具摄经咒所有枢要而开示故,所诠圆满;调心次第为最胜故,易于受持;又以善巧二大车轨二师教授而庄严故,胜出余轨。 二师者,谓善巧无著派之金洲,及善巧龙树派之小明了杜鹃,如《道次第传承上师祈请文》中所说,为觉窝阿底峡之亲传上师。虽有说是阿哇都帝巴及金洲二师,然师云,德哇尖巴及喇嘛一切遍智二师俱许前说。01:16

 接下来我们来看仁波切的讲记。第二科,“为于教授起敬重故开示其法殊胜”。那么我们可以想一下:为什么要开示这个法的殊胜呢?因为要对这个教授内心起恭敬和殷重这样的一个意乐。那么是令谁要起呢?就是令学的我们啊!在此妙音笑大师就做了科判,把它分作三科。01:53

我们在学习的都知道学一个论典中间那一篇的话,如果有一个学习特别出色的人把它作了科判,科判就是它贯穿的像一个线索一样,那么我们就很容易把这一篇贯通。所以妙音笑大师给我们作了三科,第一科就是“辨识法者”。“法”可以有很多意思,在此处“法”就是指“此教授基论,谓《菩提道炬》”——《菩提道炬论》。那么“为于教授起敬重故开示其法殊胜”的“法”,是指什么呢?就是指《菩提道炬论》。这是第一科,辨识法。就是要辨识哪一个啊?令我们对于什么样的法起敬重?在开示那个法殊胜的“法”就是《菩提道炬论》。02:58
接着第二科,注意!分成三个殊胜,“第二、宣说具有圆满、易于受持、派轨殊胜三法”,将这个三项摄为一个科判。“依怙所造虽有多论,然如根本极圆满者,厥为《道炬》”,尊者造了很多的论著,有各式各样的法类,共有百种,被称为《阿底峡小品集》——这个“品”比如《中品般若》、《大品般若》那个“品”——在共有百种的阿底峡尊者的论著中,最主要的是《道炬论》。03:44

为何《道炬论》是最为主要呢?那两个字出现了,“具摄”,毫无遗漏地包含,包含什么?“经咒所有枢要而开示故,所诠圆满”。它的范围是非常非常地周遍的,对吧?没有遗漏什么,毫无遗漏地包含了所有经咒的枢要而开示,所以所诠圆满。04:14

然后是“易于受持”,这个易于受持,仁波切说是很容易行持的意思——主要是指“调心”的方便,以三士道的“次第”来调心,先以下士道,再以中士道,渐次引导,然后就进入不共上士道,很容易受持。说任何论典它的内容都是圆满的,然而一旦涉及到行持的时候,就很难有比《广论》更容易行持的。我再说一遍:任何论典它的内容都是很圆满的,然而一旦涉及到行持的时候,很难有比《广论》更容易行持的。04:58

在这里边,我们可以稍稍地停一下,这一句话是什么意思呢?说:“很难有比《广论》更容易行持的”,很容易照着修。那么为什么它变得那么容易呢?因为它调心的次第,它以下士、中士渐次引导,它有个次第,没有上手就让我们修菩提心、没有上手就开始讲空性、也没有上手就生圆次第,它是从最初、最初的一个次第开始的。05:28

比如说像《现观庄严论》的所诠圆满吗?虽然是圆满,但是对于初机者要学这个,中等者、中根的要学这个,然后再上去要学这个的话,可能次第就没有像《广论》这么明显了。比如说在《现观庄严论》里有没有给我们讲听闻轨理呢?有没有讲前边的很多呢?次第就没有像《广论》这么明显。而《广论》则是把这样的次第书写出来,明明白白的,所以“易于受持”。06:01

那么我问大家一个问题:为什么《广论》变得易于受持?这个“受持”是指行持,对不对?为什么那么容易调心啊?是源于它的次第井然,对不对?全都明明白白地书写出来。不知道大家听课的时候有没有那种习惯?有一些人愿意写笔记的,一旦笔记写得清清楚楚的时候,对于这一节课的大纲,乃至思路、讲课老师的思路是怎样的就会很清晰。06:30

三世诸佛虽然给我们开示了三主要道,但是它在比如《华严经》里、在《楞严经》里、《妙法莲华经》里,乃至《涅槃经》、很多很多的经里,我们怎么样阅藏的时候能阅出三主要道,而且这样排序呢?如果没有宗大师这样把佛陀的意思这么清晰地写出来的话,对我们来说是非常困难的。所以这个容易,就是容易在“调心次第井然”。06:59

Previous
Previous

Lecture No. 0328

Next
Next

Lecture No. 0326